U.S. Prods Nations to Pressure Iran

DANICA KIRKA

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, June 18, 2003

Associated Press Writer

Wary of Iran's nuclear ambitions, the United States ratcheted up pressure on the Islamic country from two directions: before the board of the U.N. nuclear agency in Austria, and in comments by President Bush in Washington.

Bush said he and other world leaders would not tolerate nuclear weapons in Iran. Though his words of warning were strong, Bush gave no indication Wednesday that Iran, which he has characterized as part of an "axis of evil" along with Iraq and North Korea, might face military action under his policy allowing pre-emptive attacks where he sees threats.

Bush spoke to reporters in Washington after Kenneth Brill, the U.S. ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, chastised the Islamic country in a pointed statement delivered to the agency's board during a three-hour debate that featured 23 speeches.

After the session, Bush urged the international community to "come together to make it very clear to Iran that we will not tolerate construction of a nuclear weapon."

Bush said he had brought the matter of nuclear weapons up with other leaders at this month's Group of Eight meeting of industrial powers, plus Russia.

The United States insists Iran submit to more intrusive inspections after what Brill called a "deeply troubling" report from the U.N. agency.

Suspicions about the nuclear program prompted the director-general of the IAEA, Mohammed ElBaradei to visit Iran in February. His report revealed that Iran failed to declare the importation of a small amount of nuclear material and its subsequent processing to a point short of that needed for an explosive device.

The report also revealed Iran was building a heavy water production plant. Heavy water is used in nuclear power plants and can be used to produce plutonium for weapons.

"Without the outside revelations, Iran's extensive nuclear program would still be proceeding on a largely clandestine basis…," Brill said. "Can the IAEA or anyone else be confident under these circumstances that there are no other clandestine facilities that have yet to be revealed?"

In Tehran, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said that his country was not trying to build nuclear weapons. He repeated that Iran was prepared to allow unfettered inspections by the nuclear watchdog agency but expected the international community to recognize Iran's right to acquire advanced peaceful nuclear technology.

"We confidently declare that we are not after nuclear weapons," Khatami said. "Actually we don't believe that atomic weapons can bring security to a nation against countries possessing this kind of weapons."

Iran insists its nuclear program is intended to produce electricity, which will be needed as oil supplies decline.

As the week before Wednesday's key session of the nuclear board wore on, it became clear that while many countries supported pushing Iran to come clean and allow more intrusive inspections, the United States would not win a resolution condemning Tehran's activities, Western diplomats speaking on condition of anonymity said.

Nonaligned countries like Malaysia said the IAEA report "does not imply noncompliance." Others did not want to risk strengthening religious hard-liners, diplomats said.

One of the most critical players in the debate was Russia, which is believed to have influence over Iran because Moscow is helping build a 1,000-megawatt, light-water reactor in the Iranian southern port city of Bushehr, reportedly worth $800 million.

Moscow has strongly urged Iran to allow the more intrusive inspections. The government has said that Russia will still ship nuclear fuel to Bushehr even if that push fails, provided that Iran agrees to return all spent fuel to Russia.

"At this point in time (a resolution) is not necessary at all," said Moscow's ambassador to the IAEA, Grigory Berdennikov, adding that winning Iranian compliance "can be achieved through more efficient means."

He did not elaborate.

The United States will likely get a strong statement supporting its position when the session ends later this week, underlining demands that Iran comply with more stringent inspections, diplomats said.

"I think it's fair to say the noose around Iran is tightening," said another senior diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity.

In Tehran and other cities, there were violent clashes last week as pro-government forces put down student-led protests demanding an end to clerical rule. Those protests have largely died down in the past few days.

Bush paid tribute to "those courageous souls who speak out for freedom in Iran."

"They need to know America stands squarely by their side, and I would urge the Iran government to treat them with the utmost of respect," he said.

Khatami said Wednesday that American support for student-led protests only serves to unite his country against the United States.